Observations on the news

Wednesday, 16 May

On Tuesday, Paul Burstow made a
written Ministerial statement in relation to relation to
Winterbourne View private hospital and other services for people
with learning disabilities. In it, he said that the Department
intends to publish an interim report before summer recess, based on
the findings of the Care Quality Commission summary report and
other evidence from the engagement with key partners, which will
set out proposed actions and solutions.

There is work for the College to do around
this issue, and I’m sure that our Faculty of the Psychiatry of
Intellectual Disability will have a major part to play in how we
can drive positive and safe user-empowered care and treatment for
this vulnerable group of individuals.

But it’s clear that it’s not only nursing
that’s being affected. I’m receiving feedback from our psychologist
colleagues that they are also facing problems with posts and, as I
go round the country talking to our members, I’m hearing that the 2
for 1 phenomenon is increasing. This is when a consultant
psychiatrist retires, and a locum is put in place. A few years
later, a second consultant psychiatrist retires and only one
consultant post is kept. The RCN have shown that they can collect
data that counts, and is important that we do the same. Please do
let me know what’s happening to you on the ground.

I was also interested to read the reports this
week that parents are to be given more financial control over
support for children with special educational needs. It is
clear that children with emotional and behavioural disorders should
have their needs identified and met much earlier. For this to
happen, it’s vital that child psychiatrists, GPs, paediatricians
and public health doctors work together to, especially in times of
shrinking resources.

Sue

If you would like to post a response to Sue's blog, please
email your message to the Website
Manager, who will be pleased to upload it to the website.